Nikon Df Pictures and Pricing

Without a doubt, Nikon has created a lot of hype around the upcoming Nikon Df camera. With five teaser videos that talk about “pure photography”, Nikon has spiked interest among the photography community, including our team at Photography Life. Many of us, especially those that shoot event, wedding and portrait photography have been desperately waiting for a true Nikon D700 replacement. Something with a good number of pixels, but not too many (yes, those D800 files are huge!). Something that can produce very low noise images at high ISOs. Something that is fast with a solid build, but does not come with a huge price tag and a heavy body. Nikon finally answered those calls with the Nikon Df. Read on to find out what we think about this remarkable camera.

What makes the Nikon Df remarkable? I have used this word a few times already, because I think the Nikon Df will be even a bigger hit than the Nikon D800. If you remember from February of 2012, we covered the Nikon D800 release extensively. From what we saw, being world’s first 36 MP full-frame camera, the Nikon D800 created a lot of interest – mostly from landscape, architecture and studio photographers that needed more than the 12 or 16 MP that Nikon was traditionally using on its DSLRs. However, many portrait photographers, especially pros that come back from events with thousands of images felt that the D800 was too much of a camera for them (yes, the D800 files are huge!). From Nikon’s new product positioning, it was pretty clear that the D700 was a mistake never to be repeated again – Nikon did not want to compromise the sales of its high-end line in the future (and the D700 did lower D3 sales significantly). But Nikon knew very well that it left a gap in its high-end DSLR line. Instead of coming up with yet another DSLR, Nikon decided to take a very different route. Why not take the much wanted Nikon D4 sensor, put it in a retro body to appeal portrait photographers (especially the group that loves shooting film), strip it down to a bare minimum without bells and whistles like video that are of no interest to most photographers, and market it as a fusion of DSLR and early SLR/rangefinder Nikon cameras? That’s how the Nikon Df was born.

The Nikon Df is not meant to be a sports or a wildlife photographer’s camera. With its 39 AF point autofocus system that has been used on the Nikon D600 and D610 cameras, it is clearly not targeted at shooting fast action. Its retro-style body gives access to the most important controls through dials on the top of the camera – whether it is the shutter speed, ISO or exposure compensation, without having to access the camera menu or pressing different buttons to change settings.

It retains the versatility of the modern DSLRs, but in a much smaller and lighter package. In fact, as of today, the Nikon Df is the lightest full-frame DSLR in the world and the second lightest full-frame camera, next to Leica M series. This alone will attract most portrait photographers out there, especially those that cover 8+ hour long wedding sessions. When lugging a bag with a couple of camera bodies and lenses, every ounce counts – I know that from my personal experience in shooting weddings.

But the best part of the Nikon Df is not its sexy looks or its camera features – it is the image sensor. Those that own the flagship Nikon D4 know what the sensor is truly capable of. In my experience, 16 MP is an excellent balance of RAW file size, resolution and image quality. For a working pro, being able to go through hundreds of RAW images quickly is extremely important. With a native ISO range of 100 to 12800, the 16 MP sensor will deliver practically noise-free images between ISO 100 – 3200 and very acceptable images at ISO 6400 and even at 12800. And just like on the D4, you can boost ISO all the way to insane 204,800! Yes, the images will be very noisy at boosted high ISOs, but it is something that you will never be able to do on any other high-resolution Nikon DSLR.

The Nikon Df is also not targeted at movie shooters – there is no video in this camera. And to be honest, many will be glad that there isn’t. I personally look at video as a “bonus” – I simply don’t do movies and could care less. I think the last time I shot video was when I was on a vacation with my family. And for those needs, smaller mirrorless cameras would do a better job anyway, since you do not have to worry about switching to special live view mode just to shoot videos.

Pricing

By now, you are probably wondering what the price of the Nikon Df will be. Well, just like I projected, the Nikon Df will sell for less than $3K! The list / MSRP price of the Df will be $2,749 for the body only version. It will come in black and silver (oh yes, the silver version is what you want). There will be another version priced at $2,999, with a special edition Nikon 50mm f/1.8G lens that we have been seeing in teaser videos. The lens is exactly the same as the current Nikon 50mm f/1.8G, which as I have previously reported is better than the 50mm f/1.4G version. Nikon knows this very well, which is why they are not bundling the 50mm f/1.4G. For me, the best combination will be the Nikon Df and the new Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G lens!

I know that some people will say that the Df is too expensive. No video, no pop-up flash, 1/4000 shutter speed, 1/200 sync speed. Seems like another D600? Well, it is not. You are getting the sensor from the $5100 D4 on a smaller and almost twice lighter camera body! The imaging sensor and the pipeline are alone worth this price in my opinion. This camera is focused on photography. If you think the price is too high, this camera is probably not for you. Thankfully, there are obviously other, more budget options on the market today. Nikon D600 has already seen its lows at $1500 and the new Sony A7 starts at just $1699.

Speaking of Sony, what about the A7 / A7R? I am very excited about what Sony has in the pipeline as well, with their new full-frame mirrorless options. The pricing on the Sony products is obviously much more compelling than the Nikon Df or the D800. For those that are interested in a new system, the Sony A7 might be a very interesting choice, although with very few lens options at the moment. However, for someone already invested heavily into Nikon, the new Sony system might be too limiting at the moment. Either way, I will be comparing the Nikon Df + D800 to the Sony A7/A7R extensively. Planning to shoot with all these cameras for the next few months and see what I do and do not like.

Stay tuned for a detailed coverage of the Nikon Df tonight. Thank you Nikon. I might be a believer again.

Update: I am still trying to figure out if the Nikon Df will force us to change exposure settings manually, or if there will be Auto settings for things like ISO. Also, considering that there is no front dial on the camera, it looks like the rear dial will be used primarily to change the lens aperture. Now the real question is, will it be possible to quickly change the shutter speed through the real dial when the top dial is set to “1/3 step”. If everything is forced to be manual, it could be problematic for those of us that shoot in quickly changing conditions. Will update on this in a separate post once I have the details.

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About Nasim Mansurov

Nasim Mansurov is a professional photographer based out of Denver, Colorado. He is the author and founder of Photography Life, along with a number of other online resources. Read more about Nasim here.

William

Loving the old school looking knobs, I want one. When I learned how to shoot photography it was on an old Nikon F2 that my Dad gave me, I still own it it to this day and occasionally will shoot a roll with it.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

William, I cannot wait to get mine. I love my D3s, but it just hurts to carry that to all day events and weddings. This thing is supposed to weigh around 700 grams – that’s like carrying a Nikon D7100, but with a full-frame sensor! I am really excited. More than I was when the D800 came out. Nikon is on the right track – that’s certainly a nice come back.

Jorge

I disagree 1000% I think Nikon is shooting themselves in the foot as this camera is waaay overpriced for the available features even with the D4 sensor. The blowback will be severe. At least that’s my 2 cents worth.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Jorge and I totally disagree with you – putting a high-end sensor on the Df and pricing it less than $3000 is a clear winner. Many of my wedding photography friends are very happy to hear this. Like I said in the article, if you think the price is high, this camera is not for you.

Jorge

Money is not an issue with me. The issue is the lack of features, yet pricing this camera up in the D800 category (which I own, together with a D700, and a bunch of Nikon Glass) With the feature set in this camera the pricing should be in the 2k range. That would have been a winner!

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Jorge, in that case wait about a year or two – prices for used and refurbished Df cameras might get closer to your “acceptable” range. Although in all honesty, I doubt the Df will come down in price significantly. I project that Nikon will have a hard time fulfilling orders for a long time.

http://blog.markalisonphotography.com Mark Alison

I’m very excited at the simplified features of this body. There are so many things I never use with my D700 so I welcome the change. If this new piece of equipment can outperform my D700 in image quality then it seems like the perfect fit for me. The fact that it adds a whole set of older lenses to the compatibility line is just beautiful to me! I don’t want video, I don’t want fancy menus, I don’t want a pop-up flash. I just want the simplicity that will give me more productivity at our weddings. The closer I can get to a manual operation the better.

Another thing that excites me is that it looks different. So many of us wedding photographers use the typical black bodies. There is respect in that bulky equipment because clients think the photos will be better if it’s bigger. That’s why I can’t justify using a Fuji x100s no matter how amazing it may be – it’s just too small. However, the Df body looks authentic and captivating. It commands respect because people assume you know what you’re doing with all the fancy looking dials.

Those are my two cents without even touching the thing. Hopefully I can get a better idea soon.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Mark, thank you for your feedback! Those are exactly my thoughts as well. Will be posting some reviews of old Nikkor classics this week – those will work beautifully on the Df!

Hval

Nasim,

In the UK the camera, with lens, is $4,410. The camera can not be purchased in the UK without the lens. I don’t want yet another 50mm lens either. I can buy a Nikon D800 for $2570.

Do you really think the camera is worth it? I sure as heck don’t. $2,000, yes. More than that, no.

A pity really as I would have purchased one.

Daniel Michael

Well, even if they sold it for $3000 in the UK (£1870) it would be the same price as a D800 (body only) here from any online retailer. At the moment you’ll pay $1400 more than in the U.S. On top of it, you don’t even want to import it, because of Nikon’s silly policy of not having international warranties. They really have you between a rock and a hard place. If that’s not how to stifle growth, I don’t know what is.

Bhup

In the UK Nikon have shot themselves in the foot . charging $4100. I doubt if any Americans would like to pay $4100 I can see a lot of grey imports in the UK or a very slugish sales.. Nice one Nikon ..

http://www.maximesiegler.com/ Max

I agree with you Nasim. I think the Nikon Df is actually a nice package, even though it may not please everyone. The 16 MP is on the low side though, but I think I could live with it. I will wait for what you have to say about this camera, and for other reviews.

Cheers,

Max

Rick Thomas

Uhmmm…. This will be Nikons top selling camera.

Hval

Not in the UK, it won’t.

Alejandro

Jorge obviously this is not the camera for you. You obviously shoot RAW! some people have other needs, this camera is for travel photography (so much it has a quiet mode to avoid being heard). The focus is on ergonomics and low light! it is perfect for me I shoot JPEG. I already see my d800 picking dust beacuse i will use the Df al the time. Just having the ISO dial makes it for me and then having the D4 sensor just blow my mind.

http://non-viables.com Ruby

Amen…

Greg

I can’t justify buying a camera with features about equal to a D610 and paying a $1000 premium just because it has the retro look.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Greg, did you have a chance to read the article? I think you are missing the point. This is a 16 MP sensor used on the D4 that gives you 100-12800 native ISO. This is a very different camera than the Nikon D610, not even close.

http://www.patrickdownsphotos.com Patrick Downs

Nasim: Maybe you can post your thoughts on the pros and cons of the Df vs the D610?

I always thought that a D700 replacement (i.e., D800) with 24mp like the 610 has was a perfect solution. Though I love the 800’s files and would surely love the Dfs, 24mp seems to me to be the perfect size rather than 16mp. If they’d made a 24mp D800 I’d have two, end of story. This Df seems a brilliant camera for street shooters, documentary photogs, wedding shooters, maybe photojournalists if it’s rugged enough. I know the D4 sensor is amazing, but the 800 isn’t far behind at all.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Patrick, yes, definitely planning to compare the Df to the D610.

And you are right – the D800 is still a phenomenal camera. I love mine. As far as sensors are concerned, the difference is very small between ISO 100 and 3200. It is at higher ISOs where the D4 wins. And obviously the biggest difference is file size difference – the D4 has much smaller files than the D800. For some people that does not matter, for others it is a big issue when editing pictures.

Richard

From what I have seen, the high ISO performance of the D 800, while certainly not bad, is not in the same league as the D4. What I do regret is Nikon’s continued habit of crippling cameras. I will not be surprised if the buffer is as well.

As to price, the Df may be fairly priced relative to the D4, but the whole line is overpriced, but then so are Canon and the rest. I say this because the current pricing structure was set when the Yen/Dollar exchange rate was 78:1 instead of 98 or 99:1. So yes they are overpriced, but the comparative prices are probably probably somewhere “in the ball park”.

Canon have positioned the 6D somewhat further down the price structure, but then it does not have the sensor of the 1DX.

Nikon does not have the diversity of products that Canon have and so probably has less flexibility in their pricing. Judging by the number of “white lenses” appearing at major events, it would seem that Canon are regaining some of the market share lost due to the D3.

All in all I would expect the Df to be in short supply for some time…which means that Nikon will have chosen a price which the market will bear. The market is what ultimately answers these questions so stay tuned and all will be answered in due course.

Jorge Balarin

Dear Nasim, the sensor of the D610 it is not slouch at all. I red the ISO comparison between the DF an the D610 that Romanas did, and at normal ISOs (max 3200) there is not a significative difference between the two sensors in terms of noise. Are we going to pay almost 1000 dollars more for a camera that offer us impossible ISOs that we are never going to use ? Romanas said that the DF is a camera that we must buy with our hearts and not with our brains, and I think he is pretty much right. The D4 costs what it costs because it has a lot of features that the DF has not. I think the DF is overpriced.

http://ericduminil.com Eric Duminil

I was really looking forward to buying this camera.

But : small AF coverage, D600 shutter, useless and redundant PSAM dial, no front aperture dial, probably only one SD-Card, slow X-sync, no Auto setting on ISO dial, no Auto setting on shutter dial. I could have paid 3000$ today for an F-mount, D4 sensor and X100s ergonomics but Nikon screwed pretty much everything they could. I have 10 Nikkor lenses and the best FX choice to me looks like a D700.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Eric, no front aperture dial is not something I liked either. I think the rear dial is primarily for changing the aperture. Although with the 1/3 step setting on the shutter dial, I think we will be able to use the rear dial for setting the shutter speed as well. Not sure about Auto settings yet – perhaps those are in the camera? If everything is 100% manual, this is not going to be good news for many of us!

http://www.jeremylavender.com Jeremy Lavender

Nasim,

Not sure 100% but I do believe not everything will be totally manual. As for example, I read somewhere (don’t remember where) as for ISO setting you could have auto-iso too and in this case, the value selected manually on the dial should be the initial ISO value. I do believe (and hope of course) they took time with this very special one of the kind to think around and made it very well. Can’t wait to get one on my hands.

Always a pleasure to read your website ;-)

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Eric, just updated the post with some info – hopefully will get details on your concerns soon.

I always found Nikon front dial better than Canon’s. I hope it’s still comfortable to use.

Alejandro

Nasim! Eric is right the front vertical dial is used to manage the aperture. It might look strange to you because it is vertical. If you think about it the front vertical dial mimics the motion you would use in an aperture ring. So if anyone complains is because they don’t use manual cameras before and this is not the camera for them. The vertical dial should be very interesting because it mimics the aperture ring experience very positively. Raise your hand and imagine your self moving that little dial while you look at the viewfinder, you will go yes. Regarding the 1/3 you will have to put it in 1/3 mode and then use the digital dials. I loved that they tried to keep the dial smaller and simpler for the most common scenarios.

http://none khairi

Great move by nikon. BUT, if the colour and contrast are the same like their existing dslr, then it wont interest me as much as say…Fuji X series such as X Pro 1. If nikon wanna doing it different, then do it real differently. Otherwise personally, it just gonaa be like a shrink version of their flagship Dslr with an old school design. Hope i was wrong!

Sear Mizok

Sorry, nope, the price IS too high. For me, about $1,000 too high for what it is. The sensor isn’t enough to justify that price.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Sear, then don’t buy it – clearly not for you.

Jorge

IT seems that you are very defensive and short with regards to this camera in your reply to my post, and Sear’s. Why is that? Did you expect all of us to jump with joy at a $3k camera with less features? And I shoot weddings as well BTW. Still a no go for me regardless of weight. J

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Jorge, not defensive at all – I have my opinion on the matter and I am simply expressing it. When someone says that even $1000 is too high for a full-frame camera, I do not understand what their expectations are.

Sear Mizok

I didn’t mean that the price should be $1,000, I meant that $2,700 is approx $1,000 too high, meaning, I’d be more inclined to pay $1,700 for such a camera. Maybe as a novelty product, it’s worth that. But, in my current economic condition, if I’m spending $3,000, it’s got to have a lot of bang for the buck, dual memory cards, high ISO, high sync speed, high shutter speed, durable build and shutter, etc… Purely as a novelty, it may be successful.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Sear, sorry for misunderstanding you then! I thought you were saying that you wouldn’t pay $1000 for it :) My bad. Yes, $1700 would be killer price for the Df. But it is Nikon and traditionally we know that Nikon products are priced higher for the name, similar to what Canon does. That’s why my goal is to compare the Df side by side with the new Sony A7 and see which one works better for my needs. Although from the Sony’s side, there are no “budget” lenses available – at least not yet.

AP

Then don’t buy it, Sear. It’s as simple as that. There are other models that can do what you want. This model obviously caters to another client group, but not yours. It is not the ultimate camera that will take care of everyone’s desires.

The Df looks good, but I am not giving up my D600 and V1 for it, because these 2 cameras satisfy my cameras very well.

Alejandro

Guys if you think the D600 is better for you because it has more megapixels and is $1000 less than the Df, then buy the 600 and stop wining. Why do you need to complain about something that is not meant for you? This is not a camera for RAW shooters and pixel peepers. This is a camera for Street and travel photography and after reading Nasim´s post i can understand that wedding photographer would use it too. This is for people that use the camera for a lot of hours walking a lot and shooting thousand of picture per day. Clearly you don’t do that and that is why you shoot RAW you want one picture to be perfect on it’s own you don’t tell stories. If you did you would shoot RAW

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

And I do not expect anyone to jump on a $3K camera with less features – I already expressed my view on the camera and it is your choice to agree or disagree. For me, this camera is a clear winner. Lighter, smaller and a D4 sensor. Heck, I would have liked it even with a single AF point! :)

charLes

nasim, would you love it more it it’s a mirrorless fx?

http://rezaevol.com Reza Evol

I’m so f**king mad at Nikon I was really really really looking to buy this camera as a second to my d3s but now not even CLOSE.

I see this either coming down to the 2000 mark in the future or having a boat load of features added for the same price in a dfs model. When I heard rumors of this camera i thought 2 grand for body or maybe body lens combo max. But to come out at a price point that other cameras come in at with boat loads more features is crazy D4 sensor or not, don’t try and bullshit me and tell me oh its stripped of features cause we aim for pure photography, then you better strip some of the dollars off it as well assholes.

Motti

You show them Reza! :-) I feel the same as you but try to keep my emotions down (and for a middle Eastern, I am doing a decent job keeping cool)

http://rezaevol.com Reza Evol

I’m cool now, I’m just going to wait it out and see if the 610 has any oil/spotting problems and grab one of them as a second, if not then I’ll pick up a d800e :)

Gregor

We get it, you didn’t get what you wanted. So bad language and a tantrum is your answer? You know what. Buy yourself a Fisher Price camera, they are selling for pennies on E-bay.

http://rezaevol.com Reza Evol

No my answer is not to buy it and spread my opinion/frustration on it. The “bad language” lol and tantrum are an added bonus.

Nasim – I’m with you. I see a lot of people not being happy with the price, but I do believe this to be more than just another retro looking camera (or a mirrorless camera with a missing eco system for that matter – sorry S). It’s a sturdy device, with a pro eco system and hopefully top notch performance. Just the fact that I’ll be able to grab the camera out of the bag and know all the relevant settings by a glance is worth a lot in my book. Add to that the digital pipeline of the best performing DSLR to date. I’m excited! Thanks Nikon – it seems you do understand photographers :-) Let’s hope the market doesn’t kill you for showing that understanding, and that you manage to turn the current non-believers into happy photographers. (but to be honest – just should add video – it won’t kill you)

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Bele, totally agreed. This is a remarkable product, as far as I am concerned. Visual access to exposure, the D4 sensor and a small and compact camera body at less than $3K – what’s not to like? We can always complain about features and price, but those that expect to see a D4 with the same exact features should expect a $5K price tag. Wedding and event photographers often cannot justify spending so much on a camera body. The $3K price is a sweet spot. This camera will do well, very well.

Gregor

I agree with Nasim. To me the camera looks fantastic. I love that they used the D4 sensor and to me that makes a lot of sense. I was contemplating the D800 which would have forced me to spend $ on buying a faster computer with tons of memory. With the Df there is no need. I shoot wildlife and this camera will be better at dawn and dusk than my D300, another positive. What is not to like.

Alejandro

Nasim I’m confused why you keep saying there is no visual access to exposure. You have a little monitor on the top that tells you Shutter speed and aperture. If you switch to 1/3 you can only use that one.

AP

Yeah, I agree video should have been added. Even though wedding photogs may not use it, disabling the function is an unnecessary handicap. I believe that adding video would not impact the selling price.

http://www.khondker.com khondker

As an hobbyist/amateur photographer, typically I would record one video after each 5000 still image, when I know my DSLR can record video. But if I know my camera cannot record video, after taking each 5 still photos, I would start thinking, it would be great if I could record video of these moments. That is a complete destruction of my mental peace, while I am shooting. Definitely it will be a great camera, but with video it would be much better. Same goes for the absence of the built-in pop-up flash.

I can recall, Nikon D80 don’t have video while next immediate model D90 had video. So I believe it’s just a reserve selling point for the next model of Df. To me personally, it would have been better if Nikon would have put video and built-in pop-up flash in this model. Defiantly they will do it, but not in this initial model. After all Nikon is not in photography, they are in business :-)

Alejandro

You couldn’t be wronger they don’t expect to add video to charge you more in the next version. This is why the named the camera pure photography. Adding video would mean adding more dials which would make the ergonomics suffer. I you need video use you iphone you would get a better one. I’n order to make a good video with a DSRL you need other equipment to m0unt the camera and that means you can use another type of camera. This is a camera to travel so the is no room for a tripod etc… video is totally of the mark for this camera, and if nikon adds video then they screw it. It they wan to charge you more in the next iteration they should even make it smaller and that would fit the use of this camera even better than video. Is not a problem with the sensor etc… it is with the ergonomics. Thinking out loud maybe they could add it as entirely digital menus without any physicals dials so they could. But is more about the purpose of the camera that the technical details about it.

http://www.diamondphotography.org.uk Andrew Smail

I will be watching the web closely for real life images and review. I like my D700/D800 combo but the D800 can be a frustrating beast at times with one to many soft images for my liking.

Jorge

Damn I thought I was the only one! I found myself shooting with my Fuji X-E1, or my D700 unless I had the D800 on a tripod. Waaaayyy too many soft images even when I thought my Shutterspeed was high enough.

http://www.diamondphotography.org.uk Andrew Smail

Yeah Jorge, it can be tricky at times. I have a battery grip and this gives the body a little more heft so does help a little. But your right, you always need to keep one eye on your shutter speeds :)

FrancoisR

Hello, I find that I have to use extra care when shooting with mine. But the rewards are evident. My 5D3 is easier but best results come from the big sensor. It took me some time to get used to it (or to accept it lol).

brg

Thanks Nasim for the valuable info. I suspect prices will go down quickly thanks to the D610. IMHO it will be a nice second body with it’s superb sensor and small size…

Graham Blaikie

That is the catch with high resolution cameras like the D800. It doesn’t make your photos better automatically. Instead it exposes any inadequacies in technique, focus and lens quality, rather like a high-end audio system can expose the quality of the source – hence the saying: “rubbish in, rubbish out”. Tiny pixels mean much lower latitude for movement.

http://www.patrickdownsphotos.com Patrick Downs

I’ve learned, painfully, that the old rule of hand-holding at the inverse of your focal length (1/50th for a 50mm for example) doesn’t often work with the D800. It shows every defect in technique, especially camera movement, and I usually double the focal length/shutter speed ratio … 1/200th for a 100mm lens. I can hand hold my D700 at 1/30th with a 24mm, but no way with the D800.

Vitaliy

Patrick, that rule is based on a “fixed” “pixel” size. The speed should also be inversely proportional to the pixel size. I would expect that if you bump up your speed by another 30% or so that the results should be fine.

Patrick Downs

It all depends on variables like: how shaky i am , which lens am i using, have I had too much coffee or not enough sleep, etc! I play it safe now, and always use some sort of a rest or use the camera strap as a sling, if I have to shoot hand held in low light. Or I switch to the D700. i have shot 1/30th or less with 24mm using the D800 with some success, but the percentages drop. The older I get the shakier I am! :)

Jason

My D800 has made me a better photographer because I have focused more on my technique than the capabilities of the camera. The first couple of weeks I had a few soft images, but after I started paying more attention to what I was doing, what I realized was that the D800 provides the sharpest images with the most detail out of any camera that I have used.

I’m not that you guys are saying this, but I have read a lot of complaints from people who have complained about the soft images on the D800. I mean if you consistently keep getting soft images and know that camera isn’t defective and your lens of choice is at the minimum decent, it’s probably time to take a clue, work on your technique and stop blaming the camera.

Tom Crossan

I have to agree with you Jason.

I moved up to the D800 from a D300s about 12 months ago and found that my modest priced lens did not cut it. I borrowed a better lens and the difference a was noticeable.

I am slowly changing amy lens and moving to Carl Zeiss.

I sometimes wonder if todays cameras with all the whizbanks and flashing lights produce any better images than when I first started some 50 years ago. Yes, people are taking more images, but of what quality.

It still makes me laugh when I am told that “I took some 3000 photos on my last trip”

Jorge Balarin

When you are are shooting an event for hours it is very difficult to keep your perfect technique. In those situations the D800 it is not the best camera.

Jason

Jorge,

I can understand what you are saying to an extent, but to an extent I disagree.

The D800 camera is a professional based DSLR that was specifically designed for the type of long event shooting that you are referring to, say weddings for example. I have a couple of good buddies that use the D800 on weddings, wedding events that last all day, if they couldn’t handle the camera well enough to get good photographs they wouldn’t be in business, at least not for much longer.

In addition to that, if you look at cameras like the D7100, and whatever Canon has as an equivalent (roughly something within the 20-24MP range on a DX sensor), the pixel density with the DX sensor is comparable to the 36MP on the FX, it’s about the same once you compensate for the size difference.

Likewise, most of the people who have the D800, especially those who use it for long events like weddings, down sample the image to something more comparable to 12-16MP if not smaller than that. Of course once you down sample a high-resolution file such as one that you would pull from a D800, the minor imperfections that you would see at the full resolution vastly improve. In fact, in many cases, you would be hard pressed to point out an imperfection at all after down sampling, unless of course if the original image was just horrible to begin with.

So with all that, I would expect that the proper combination of shutter speed, ISO and your aperture setting should be about the same, regardless of what you are shooting. The only difference with the D800 is that you don’t have the luxury of stepping outside those boundaries to push the limits that you might be able to get away with in other cameras. Proper technique is proper technique.

I respect your opinion though, thanks for the comment and have a great day.

Jorge Balarin

Thank you Jason for your kind answer. Once I photographed for two days a jazz festival with my D700 and a rent D800E. I noticed that a lot of my D800E pics where not sharp at pixel level. I know that as you said, those photos are not lost, and they are going to look very good after they are down sample. The problem is that my computer can not deal with the heavy D800E raw files, so after some months still they are waiting to be processed : )

Now I’m going to photograph a big party and I decided to rent a D610 to match it with my old and trusty D700. No more D800 to photograph events, at least for me. Greetings.

Jorge

Ridiculously overpriced. I got my D800, with 51pt focus for that much. And my D700 when it came out! Nikon has gone insane but I’m sure there will be waiting lists for it. Looks sharp though, just not for me.

Jason

Even though I’m not complaining about the price, I sure wish it was cheaper, cheaper is always better!

Shawn Young

D610 tech plus a D4 sensor… for a D800 price? Great sensor, but the D800 sensor isn’t in any way bad.

I guess some hipsters will buy it but I see very few photographers preferring this to a D800. If you need the D4 sensor, you likely also need the D4 build (won’t find that here) and the D4 fps (not here). Massive letdown for me.

At the price of the D610, or maybe an extra $200 for the better sensor, let’s talk. At the price of the D800, it’s a joke.

http://www.patrickdownsphotos.com Patrick Downs

I know what you are saying. I would have to think hard about this over a D610, but the size appeals. Maybe I should sell the 800, and get this and the 610? I will have to wait for the test reports on this … Or say what the heck, and get more hard drives for the 800 files!

Shawn Young

Nothing forces you to use the D800’s highest resolution.

D800 is a better camera than either the 610 or this thing. Why sell a better piece of gear for an inferior one, never mind that if you want two inferior pieces, you probably need to kick in $2500.

Keep your D800. Leave this thing to the scenesters.

http://www.patrickdownsphotos.com Patrick Downs

LOL. I LOVE the 800 … I find that I just edit tighter to conserve HD space. I really want a printer that will do at least 17″ wide prints to see the fruits of the 800. I still love the D700 too, and if I up-res the files I get 16X24s that look great.

The 700 will go away at some point and then it will be decision time when replacing: D4 sensor and retro style of Df, or D800’s ultimate quality.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Hahah Shawn, thanks for the laughs! True, the D800 is amazing. The Df would have been better at a lower price point, but then they would be really downplaying the D4. I think a more viable approach would be to use the D610 sensor on the Df and price it at around $1800-2000.

Bruce

Now that is a sensible comment!

Shawn Young

Now that would sell, Nasim. D610H(ipster).

FX entry level gear, FX entry level price, but for some people a coolness factor that the equivalent Canon doesn’t offer. Winner.

Are you going to start importing those sensor swabs, or am I going to have to take my chances on some shady foreign “deals” site? For people who think about it, that’s the best camera accessory of the year.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Shawn, I contacted the manufacturer and I am waiting for a response. Will update as soon as I have some details. Stay tuned :)

Randy

Nasim – I agree about the weight, but we’re in a different world now where for better or worse, specs are king. What this will do is make the D610 and D800 look like bargains, both to people who need the megapixels and to those who think they do.

It’s a lovely boutique item and it impress people that you have one. That alone will sell a lot.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Randy, it is unfortunate that our world is all about specs now. The D600/D610 has a 1/4000 shutter speed limit and 1/200 sync speed limit and yet those are phenomenal cameras in terms of image quality. The Nikon Df is a whole different animal, with the much more impressive D4 sensor for low-light shooting and retro ergonomics that many of us will appreciate and love. And if people choose to go with more megapixels, that’s certainly their choice. Thankfully Nikon has a whole line of products to satisfy many different needs.

http://www.patrickdownsphotos.com Patrick Downs

This —”the Nikon Df is the lightest full-frame DSLR in the world” — appeals to me greatly. The price, not so much. The sensor — yes! Can you seen all the exposure/ISO info in the finder? I change fstops and shutter settings using the finger/thumb wheels without removing the camera from my eye.

I won’t miss the pop-up flash… with the 24-70 i can’t use it most times anyway.

Will have to make some real decisions … maybe sell the D700 and D7000, keep the D800 (which I love, but the files are a HD hog and I don’t make 20x30s much) and get this one. I can see this being a great body for use with primes.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Patrick, I am very impressed by your images, wow! Would love to host you someday on our site here. Please let me know if you are interested.

For your type of photography, I would say the Nikon Df will make a lot of sense – looks like you use available light quite a bit (and you are very good at it!). I would sell the D700 and the D7000 and shoot with the Df + D800. That’s what I am planning to do myself.

http://www.patrickdownsphotos.com Patrick Downs

THANKS for the kind words, Nasim! Yes, we should talking about doing something together. :)

I do love and shoot available a lot, and really really love shooting in low light. For that reason the Df having the D4’s sensor really is appealing. A smaller/lighter body with some primes … sweet! (I hope the 24-70 won’t feel too heavy for the Df). I also want the Fuji X100s for low-light candid shooting … really light and small, but SLRs are something I can’t seem to give up.

I look forward to your thoughts once you have time to test this Df in depth. Thanks again!

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Patrick, I will email you in a little bit regarding an interview/guest post.

Patrick, The pop up flash is not really to take pictures (although it saved my but once or twice). I use it to trigger off camera flashes when I don’t have the radios with me. It’s somewhat limited system but used correctly can produce some awesome photos. Sometimes I do not want to carry another flash to trigger yet another. A pop up flash can go a long way.

Tom Crossan

Sorry, but there seems to be a bit of “camera envy” out there. Must have the latest like with mobile phones.

I am in my late 60’s and there is no way I want to go back to knobs and dials that are hard to read etc.

Plus the price is way over the top.

Rick Keller

Indeed, Tom. Par for the course, here. And all over a camera that has yet to be announced and will not make anyone a better photographer than he/she already is. It is very interesting to read how a few weeks ago, the same people delivering scathing reviews of Nikon corporation’s handling of the D600 debacle (and deservedly so) are here praising the same company about a camera that has yet to be delivered. Quite a leap of faith, I would say. Today’s generation of young photographers would be wise to understand that the greatest works of photographic art in human history have been made with cameras and lenses that have existed for over 80 years; yet there are a plethora of aspiring photographers, some of them posting here, who seemingly are hanging their hopes of becoming an accomplished photographer over the latest gear that is either still on the drawing board or yet to be released. The DF may very well be a fine camera, but we already have an abundance of fine cameras in existence. “Camera envy” is just a symptom of the problem, Tom . . .

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Tom, that retro look is certainly not for everyone. But I cannot see how Nikon could price a sensor used on a flagship $5100 D4 to be lower than this. Perhaps they should have released a camera with the same sensor as the D610 and priced it at around $2K – that would probably appeal a larger group. Although for photographers that are not comfortable with dials, it would still be a deal-breaker.

Alejandro

That would defeat the whole purpose. This is for photographer that love the dials, i don’t care about the retro look (my wife does and that is why she’s got the x100s and the d700) but i care about the dials. Having to press 2 buttons to change the ISO make me take pull the camera away from the scene in order me to handle the change. The only thing i like about the retro look is that the camera will draw less attention which is great for street photography and travel photography. I think Tom and Rick are right about the camera envy. It seems people think there should be only one camera wich is the best in the world for everything and everybody. And certainly they criticized the camera companies because they don’t make them better photographers with a new all better camera, that is true. But like Chase Jarvis says the best camera is the one you carry with you and i would carry the Df more than my other cameras. I hate carrying the 70-200 even though when i do i get my better pictures. Many time i go with the 85 just beacuse of not wating to carry the things.

Kim Fong

As many I love to see Df price be lower than what is listing however I don’t think the Df is that much overpriced. For those who wish Df priced at around 2K I am suggesting them to look into Product of Origin. It explains its price.

http://paoloimages.com Paolo

I mainly use the Nikon D700 for shooting child portraits in the studio and outside. Do i need to get this new one to replace it, or use a D600? Is the mount the same? By the way, i could care less how much it weighs….

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Paolo, yes, the camera uses exactly the same Nikon F mount as the D600/D700. If weight is not a concern for you, then I would either get the D610 or the Df. The Df will obviously be better for low-light situations at pixel level and the files will be smaller. Not sure how important that is for your workflow.

Lower light capability would be awesome, as i shoot more outside now than in studio, sometimes have to ‘fight the noise’ of low light pictures. Do you know anywhere i can sell a brand new D600 never taken out of the box?

Jorge Balarin

Paolo, that will not be a good business. The D610 exists for a good reason.

http://paoloimages.com Paolo

I’m not sure i get your point. I have a D700, and got a D600 to replace it. As of yet, i have not opened the box yet. Wondered if i should trade up to the D610 or Df, or stick with what i got.

Jorge Balarin

What happened is that the D600 came to the market with an ugly and persistent problem of oil and dust filtration into the camera’s sensor. That problem forced Nikon to launch the D610, that basically is the same camera, but with a new shutter mechanism to avoid the problems of the D600. For that reason many people will prefer to buy a D610 instead of a D600 that never went out of its box, even if the D600 is offered at low price.

http://paoloimages.com Paolo

So i’m stuck with a brand new piece of crap?

Greg Johnstone

Do you think it will have no anti aliasing filter like the d800E, or will it be like d800 and d4?

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Greg, as far as I know, the camera will have exactly the same sensor as the D4, which does have an AA filter. For people photography, having an AA filter would be a good idea, as moire can look really nasty at just 16 MP, with limited options to down-sample.

Ralittle2

I can see this camera, but I’m still looking for a sub 6k sports camera from Nikon. Bueller? Bueller?

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

I am still hoping for a D400 in Q1 of next year before the Olympics. If we don’t see it by then, the D400 is gone forever :)

http://www.dose-of-salts.com Donz

hope & pray for the D400 …or else we give in and go for a D610, or a Canon (oops, did I say that)

Ralittle2, get a D600/610. I used mine to shoot many sports/action events including the ATP (pro-level tennis) tournament in DC where at night sessions your shutter doesn’t drop below 1000 and ISO below 3200. At one of my gigs, I shot over 7000!! frames in less than 3 hours and this thing didn’t blink. My only adjustment has been that I stopped using or trusting the 3D focusing. I rely on the C-mode and I get almost no mis-hits. But do get a grip and get the Nikon – it’s made of mag alloy and has a reinforcement plate at the tripod mount.

Sergio

Are you insinuating that this is the D700 replacement? And I’ve never bought the argument that the D700 cannibalized D3 sales. When I got back into photography, it was a choice between the 5D Mk ii and the D700. There was no way I was going to buy the D3. So if the D700 hadn’t been available I would’ve gone the Canon route. You can’t assume that every D700 purchase is a lost D3 sale, not even close. And I’m sure many people figured that since the D700 was so “cheap” they could afford to buy more lenses. So no, I don’t think Nikon lost money with the D700.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Sergio, the Nikon D700 cannibalized D3 sales – it is a fact. I talked to my B&H rep at the time and they saw sales of D3 decline significantly after the D700 came out. We are talking as much as by 300% initially and even more overtime when people figured out what they could do with the grip + right batteries. The Nikon D3s was a relatively quick update, because Nikon wanted to add something with better image quality to make the D3 line attractive again. I am not just coming up with BS stuff here – these are facts. That’s why there is no D710 with the D4 sensor.

Ralittle2

I know you’re not making up BS, but there are many other factors to consider. Products typically sell fewer as they age in the product cycle. Also, and I agree there was cannibalization, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Nikon lost money due to fewer D3 sales. I would argue that Nikon probably made much more money with the D700 to complement their line-up.

One thing that’s not in dispute is that Nikon doesn’t make a sports camera below the D4 either in DX or FX. I still a market for a D400 AND a D750. Companies are great at segmenting markets, and the new Df is a nice niche, but I would say a dynamic duo of D400 & D750 would do much to reinstate both the vigor amongst Nikon shooters as well as greatly pad the bottom line.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Oh yes, you are right about that. The D700 certainly did increase the sales overall, since it was a very good camera. Nikon did not lose money, but they did not want to demote their flagship product either. Who would buy the D3 if the D700 achieved pretty much the same results?

And I am 100% with you regarding a high-end DX. It is very sad that Nikon has not done anything there. I am still hopeful though, that we might see something in Q1 of 2014. If it doesn’t happen before Olympics, Nikon will have abandoned the D400 completely :(

ralittle2

Except it wasn’t only Nikon. Is Canon’s 5D MkIII the equivalent of what a D750 would be? It’s good, but it’s no 1Dx.

Richard

Nikon made great strides with the D3. It has even been suggested that it is the camera that saved the company. Since that time Canon have made inroads into the technology lead that Nikon enjoyed (autofocus and high ISO performance). Combined with Canon’s lead in video, Nikon”s customer base, most especially at the top, is not inflexibly committed to Nikon. These things are, after all, “just tools”.

It does take a bit more to drive off the enthusiast customer though, but Nikon are doing their best to annoy the D300/D300s user base.

Nikon seems to slip farther and farther behind in their product release cycle. The only rational conclusion is that the company is incapable of sustaining regular product development (well, apart from their misguided marketing and clueless management). The Df will sell, but marketing and management will not understand why, much less why it is not what the market is waiting for.

The only good news I see in this is that the inclusion of the D4 sensor should presage the release of the D4s prior to the Olympics.

ralittle2

I agree 100% with your driving off the enthusiast crowd! I have no problem with Nikon’s lineup except that they don’t have a D400& D750. The other products are fine, but those two are money in the bank for Nikon and will keep others from jumping ship.

Motti

I may be mistaken but I don’t see much future for a cropped sensor. Hence no D400. ( see how in a month or so Nikon comes up for a D300s replacement…LOL)

Full frame DSLR’s will be, in my opinion, the only ones left in a couple of years (besides the point and shoot cameras of course). With the D600, the Canon 6D and especially the Sony A7, we see more and more a trend towards full frame with fewer pixels and lower prices. Low light photography becomes important even to the very beginners and full frame cameras up to 16MP can do a superior job at that.

I predict that in couple of years full frame prosumer DSLR’s will sell for around $1,000. Or at least I hope so :-)

Sergio

It may have cannibalized D3 sales but I don’t think it cannibalized profits. Let’s face it many people can’t afford the D3/D3S/D4, but they can afford a camera for half the price or less. Think of how many people bought two D700’s instead of a D3, or a D700 as a backup to an existing D3. All in all I think the D700/D3 combination made more money for Nikon than if they’d only offered the D3. I’m not so sure the same would apply now with a hypothetical D750 because there are so many other full-frame cameras (D600/610, D800, DF), but the original D700 was a grand-slam for Nikon.

Richard

I agree. This business about “canibalization” is a straw man frequently pressed by clueless marketing departments to blame their customers for their own failures. The simple reality is that, in the aggregate, the D700 resulted in sales for Nikon which would otherwise not have occurred. To argue otherwise is to claim that Nikon is exempt from basic laws of economics. There were D700s sold to propel who were not in the market for a D3 at all, let alone two. Some D3 customers bought a D700 as a second body who were most assuredly not in the market for a second D3.

For as many comments (complaints really) about the menu sand control differences there are between the D3 and the D700, I can see that the Df will accentuate this issue, perhaps leading some to get a pair of Dfs instead of a D4 – Df combination, illustrating the fundamental marketing failure of not having an integrated, coherent system.

Nevertheless, these cameras will sell because every other company has committed the same mistakes.

Jorge Balarin

Dear Nasim, accepting that the D700 canibalized the D3 sales (because considering the price/quality relation was a better product). We must also accept that by other side the D700 – as a best seller – gave Nikon a lot of new customers of its entire system (me one of them), that as Sergio pointed correctly, otherwise would finished buying Canon. So, what made Nikon earn less money in the long term, a fair priced quality product, or an elite priced one ? Must we send the honest D700 to jail, or condemn it to death, because of the faults of the D3 ?

http://italy74.smugmug.com Dino Brusco

I’m really intrigued by this camera and I still have to see something noone posted so far. 1) How’s inner viewfinder ? classic ? hybrid ? with ALSO split prism vintage focusing aid, great for manual focusing? ( I mean, if they really mean to use even NOT AI lenses, I’d provide an adequate tool with the camera to stand this feature) 2) What about WP sealing against dust and moisture or rain drops? Mechanical dials are really nice but now there’s much more electronic inside than once and this might be an issue, since top cover (especially) must be really wp. 3) What about other inside features and what the heck is the 9-cell grid framing display? A pop – up grid inside the viewfinder ? Bottom line, if everything falls right, I think to get one asap.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Dino, I think the viewfinder will be the same as on current FX cameras (I don’t know for sure at this point, but that’s my assumption based on the product photos). Weather sealing should be good, I would expect this to be similar to D610/D800. As far as the 9-cell grid framing display, that’s probably similar to the grid we see on Nikon DSLRs – one you could turn on/off perhaps. Again, not very sure about that though!

http://italy74.smugmug.com Dino Brusco

Another question.. Nasim if possible, might you post two shots, one taken with D4 – one with D600, to show us clearly where’s the difference in low light so that one can make up his/her mind once for all about the “gain” in this or that respect ? Thanks.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

That sounds like a good idea. Will borrow a D4 to show pixel-level performance between the D4 and the D610. When down-sampled, the differences are probably minor though, until you get to very high ISO levels.

http://www.zacvanlab.com Zac

This camera is a dream come true! For anyone who is complaining about how many focus points it has, they just don’t get this. I have been talking a long time about camera like this, what would I love to see and wondering if they will ever going to make it. I have had D800 and sold it, didnt like the feeling. So I bought Nikon FM3A and been shooting film and with my old D70s when I want to play in Lightroom. This is definitely not a camera for everyone, but it certainly is a camera for those who are seriously passionate about photography and feel the joy deep inside every time shutter clicks and another moment is saved. So people if you don’t like it, take the chill pill.. I dont know what you have expected it to be. As Nasim said I would also be happy if it had only one focus point!

http://italy74.smugmug.com Dino Brusco

+1 – To me best compromise would have been the 11 points that D2x and F6 had, plus the cross-hair split prism but I agree with you with the FM3A, it’s definitely a camera who gives you really the pleasure to shoot again and practice your eye and imagination. I had the D700, now have the D600. The D600 was much more direct to use in terms of basic operations, while is no doubt that the D600 wins in terms of low-light pictures, although 24 MP make already clear and evident when you misfocus something by a hair more or less. 16 MP for me is fine, especially if I can STILL get some more low-light capability. On a side note, grain aside, I’d say film cameras tended to be more responsive on high iso than current DSLRs. I remember with Tri-X at 1600 or T-Max at 3200 to always have had enough time (short enough I mean) to shoot safely within the portrait (100mm) range. With DSLRs it seems we’re always looking for higher and higher iso to justify shutter times short enough, “as if” those cameras were effectively working at lower iso than declared. My personal impression, of course.

Roy

please explain why I would want this if I already own a D800 that I use in the studio to shoot images of my artwork…will it function better for street photography than the D800 does?

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Roy, for studio work, your D800 will be a much better tool. If you shoot in streets in low-light and need smaller files for quick post-processing, the Df will be an excellent tool. You don’t have to worry about camera technique as with the D800, since the Df will handle it better at only 16 MP of resolution.

http://italy74.smugmug.com Dino Brusco

The only real “cons” I can see here, not related to this directly, rather to Nikon, it is the usual Nikon currency converter policy, which is always fixed on the insane and unreal 1 $ = 1 € = 1 £, so EU and GB customers are always paying more for the same item made in the same place. This is just unfair. 2750$ should be 2150 € and about 1800 £, while we pay about 2000 € for the D610 as you pay about 2000$

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Dino, I totally agree. Nikon has to do better with their pricing overseas :(

Sergio

Keep in mind that in Europe the prices include insanely high VAT rates, whereas prices for the US don’t include sales tax. Also, there are higher costs associated with distributing and marketing in Europe simply because you’re dealing with so many different countries. I’m not saying that justifies the price difference, but it could explain part of it.

Motti

@Sergio I do not agree with you. VAT in Europe is exactly as in Canada, around 15%. The D600 costs in Canada $2,000 and after VAT it is $2,300. That should translate to around $1,650 €. It means Europeans pay €350 or almost $500 more. That is a lot of money!

As for distribution, the European Union was created for this reason, to make the transfer of goods across Europe easy and cheap.

No, the pricing policy by companies like Nikon (and MS, Adobe etc,) is simply to make more money when they can. Period. I am not being cynical either.

Rami

It’s not the tax but the issue of treating 1 $ = 1 € = 1 £ as mentioned above… it’s understandable that the currency value is different from place to place so you can’t use the exact exchange rate to translate prices from one currency to another, but what makes it absurd is the prices of other products in the same market! For example in the UK, the D610 was launched at £ 1,800… while the D800 was £1,835!!!! 35 pounds difference between the 610 (which was meant to be cheaper than the 600) and the D800!!!

Sergio

We’re not the United States of Europe (yet), and there are very real differences involved in marketing and distributing products to 27 different countries than to one big country. In the US, for example, if you want to advertise, you can do so in one magazine or one TV network and potentially reach most of your target audience. In Europe an ad in the UK does absolutely nothing to reach people in Italy and vice versa. You’re dealing with 27 different markets and there are costs involved with that. Again, this is not to say there isn’t some price gouging going on.

Motti

Sergio, How many D600, D610, D800 etc. TV adds do you think appear on American or Canadian TV lately? NONE. (Besides, news media like for example SKY and BBC are all over Europe, adds can be placed globally)

Most of the pro equipment adds are placed in pro photography magazines. These, especially the British ones, Like Digital Photographer, are everywhere. I was able to find Digital Photographer magazine (and others) in Budapest, Vienna and Prague.

Much of the buzz companies get for their pro line comes from tech blogs. Those are border less.

Don’t give corporation any slack, I strongly believe that they can sell it for a lot less and make the same profit they make in North America. Great example are software companies like MS and Adobe that charge a hefty price for downloadable products. No distribution is needed there but still prices are so much higher in Europe and Australia

Rami, £1,835 for the D610? That is nuts. It’s $1,000 more than it should be.

Alejandro

Motti in the US you can fire somebody on the same day and depending the state without notice or severence. This does not imply that Labour costs are that important (They are not in companies where marketing is the biggest spending) this implies the economies and rules are very different. Do you think the only tax that applies to a camera is VAT? what about cutoms duties, what about port fees? do you have those numbers too? i recommend you to read http://www.ghemawat.com/ to understand the bases of Global Business or you can attend some great schools there in europe, i loved Oxford for example. Instead of complaining with corporations vote differently, change countries or accept your reality like i do. I live in a third world country that is becoming moe a more populist and thinks Europe’s protectionism is the way to go.

David B

Yes, the price is too high in my opinion. You can get D800 for same amount. Actually you can get a refurb D800 for way cheaper. The new Sony A7 and A7r pricing of $1700 and $2200 is more in line with reality. The $2700+ price of Df is ridiculous in my opinion. By the way, with its tiny grip, how much more for vertical grip so you at least could handhold lenses like 70-200VR? Or Df is just for small primes?

As for Nasim’s argument that we are getting D4’s sensor, Nasim, I disagree with you that D4’s sensor is that special. In fact, I believe every review and even DXO will tell you that D600’s 24MP sensor surpassed D4’s sensor in every way including low light noise. So Nikon is trying to recycle that sensor now? It will also be the lowest MP full frame camera currently in production other than D4. I know Nikon did not want to make another D700 as it killed D3 because it had the same pic quality and same af system and up to 8ps. So they carefully dumbed down Df: AF system from D600, 5.5fps, 1/200 sync rate, etc, to make sure it does not compete with D4.

I do like that ability to manually adjust things on these cute wheels. However, honestly this camera should have cost $1500 MSRP and lower retail, in my opinion, in line with other full frame cameras of today.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

David, I wrote about my thoughts on the Sony A7/A7R in the article. I will be comparing both systems head to head to see what I like and what I don’t like about each. Obviously, the Df does not sound like a good deal when compared to the A7 that only costs $1700. But it is a different system, brand new mount and a small selection of lenses. Still, as I have written before, price difference is quite big and it will certainly affect overall Nikon sales in the long run, with Sony stealing more of the full-frame market share from Nikon.

As for the D4 sensor, please understand that it serves different needs. Yes, the MP count is lower, but its pixel-level quality is amazing – much better than what the D610 or D800 have to offer. At pixel level, bigger pixels always win. Remember, DxO down-samples their images when comparing sensors when measuring dynamic range, colors, etc. And I agree – it is the best way to compare sensors (that’s how I do it too). However, those extra megapixels are not always important for a lot of people out there. Wedding photographers do not like processing 36 MP files – my wife is one of them. She loves her 12 MP D3s and she does not let me sell it! :) But I simply do not see how Nikon could take the sensor from the flagship D4 and sell it for $1500. Perhaps they should have used the D610 sensor instead and even then, it would have been priced at $2K or so.

David B

I see your point Nasim and I know what you are talking about when you talk about pixel size. The one obvious plus is that you are able to use some cheaper or older lenses, that perhaps, were not stellar on D800, but all of the sudden, may get a second life on D600.

By the way, my guess would be that older 16MP sensor of D4 costs Nikon even less than the one that goes into D600/610. Just a guess….

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

David, and now think about the “second life” for all previous Ai/AiS lenses – they will shine on the Df! Now that I am shooting with some old MF glass, I would love to see that. I will be posting some great reviews of some old Nikkor classics – stay tuned my friend!

Motti

I can see why the D4 sensor will be a better choice for people (like me) with old 28-70, 17-35 etc. However, I feel the same as David, it looks like Nikon is trying to recycle some of the D4 parts. If they did, why not leave it as is with 51 FP, 1/8000 SS and high sync speed of 1/250 to 1/8000 sec.?

Those are important features when using it for events like weddings.

Rami

Of course they COULD have had these options there, but do you think the price would still have been under 3,000$? I seriously doubt it…

Hoeras

I just like the way it looks!

Sensible to make D4 sensor available like this.

Emad

Thanks for your great review Nasim, Does anybody know how light it’s going to be? Hopefully as light as a7 then I’m all over it

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Emad, it will be around 700-750 grams.

http://www.onsitemn.com Onsite Minnesota

I think people comparing the D600 and D800 to the Df are missing the point of this camera. Unless you are shooing in harsh light at base ISO or need to print detail intensive images at 5″ wide, the D4 sensor is a far better sensor. At ISO1600, colors and contrast are still amazing, even after significant adjustment. Under expose the D600 or D800 at ISO6400 and you are toast. That’s not the case with the D4. The D4 files look way better if you need to make significant adjustments.

I’ve owned about every Nikon camera, and can say, for event photography, the D800 doesn’t even come close to the D4 in image quality, unless you are base or low ISO, and have challenging contrast.

This camera is about ridiculous image quality in a tiny package. The price is for the full frame sensor in the world.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Yup, exactly what I tried to say in the article!

http://500px.com/MarkGeorgeAllen mark allen

Hi Nasim,

Seems you are excited about this release! I was brought up with old film SLRs so have always wanted a digital version of the old cameras. Something about the lay out of the controls and the tactile nature of the camera that lends it self to photography. I really miss aperture rings and distance markings! Still way too expensive for me though could never afford it, would rather spend the money on glass. But maybe in a few years on the second hand market I could pick one up.

There are a lot of comments on line that this camera is only for fashion conscious cool people, I have to disagree. I love the idea of an old style SLR with a digital sensor. Couldnt really care about looks that much, its more the feel of dials and a large viewfinder in a small body.

I just hope they have nailed the viewfinder, there were rumors of a fusion viewfinder? Any news on that?

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Mark, yes, I am :) And I also love the idea of an old style SLR, no matter what others say. It is a very attractive camera I think. As for the viewfinder, no info on that yet. I doubt it will be a hybrid viewfinder, but we will have to see – I will update on that as soon as I hear something.

http://www.onsitemn.com Onsite Minnesota

Does anyone hear anything about memory card slots?

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

One slot for SD cards only.

Ozmanguday

Thanks for your review Nasim!

1) camera looks nice, love the looks 2) FF and 16 MP sensor is fine with me 3) all controls in reach is perfect for me 4) do not miss the pop-up flash, as I use my speedlight instead 5) wonder how it will look and carry a 70-200 VRII…

The great thing about D4 is its functionality including its advanced AF system (missing in action on DF) and pipeline of cranking 9fps (missing in action on Df). The sensor of D600 is clearly better in every way.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

David, again, you are comparing down-sampled performance between the two sensors. I will post an article on pixel-level performance later this week. Not everyone needs those extra pixels – for many event / portrait photographers, 18MP is plenty enough. Many wedding photogs in my area still shoot with the D700 and they love the results. They do not want more MP, they want better low-noise handling at pixel level and faster workflow.

http://www.francis-gagnon.com Francis G.

There’s an interesting comparison between D600, D700, D800 and D4 at the link below. The D4 is clearly the winner at high ISO; it has less noise and a higher DR than the others.

Hello Nasim thank you for your preliminary info, Nasim, and congratulations for your great website! You can find some specs on Nikon Df on the below link, where a blogger by chance made a screenshot of Amazon’s DF page which went live too early by error. Bye, Andreahttp://www.marcomoriconi.com/nikon-df-prime-immagini/#more-5376

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Andrea, that Amazon page is still open on my browser. The link you specified doesn’t tell anything new though. We’ve covered the specifications earlier in a different post :)

Thanks for sharing though!

http://www.marcomoriconi.com Marco Moriconi

Thanks for sharing; indeed at that time the page was off line for a while; thanks for the continuous update and the interesting news you are giving us, Marco.

Earle

Still happy with what I’ve seen in this camera. Since neither the 51point focusing system nor the 39 point system covers FX, I’ll take the 39 point system at a cost savings.

Also D700 guys, stop whining (I own one) the D700 did not kill the D3 –the D3S and D3X did.

This is an exciting camera on many levels.

Matt

There is a lot to really like about this camera and I suspect it will be a huge hit for the company, even if the sensor and autofocus system are not at the level of the D800. The body is gorgeous and has *most* of the controls I would want. It is not quite as small or light as the new Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras, but as a real DSLR with an optical viewfinder, tried-and-true autofocus, and access to 55 years of Nikon lenses, I believe the increased size and weight is well worth it.

However, given how much thought and engineering went into the design of this camera, I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t include certain things, like an automatic “A” settings on the dials. Is the user forced to resort to full manual exposure, without options for modern automation such as Auto-ISO with a Minimum Shutter Speed? And why couldn’t they find space on the back for a switch for the focus modes, Single Point, 3D, Full Auto? It’s a shame they didn’t refine the design just a few steps further.

And as a personal preference, it would have been really nice to see a Nikon-first 35mm f/1.8 instead of yet another 50mm f/1.8.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Matt, I agree – that’s why I am waiting to see more info on the camera. If everything is manual, it could be counter-productive for fast-changing environments. Let’s see what this camera is all about. And yes, I agree, a Nikon Df with a 35mm f/1.8G FX would have looked sexier!

Funduro

I disagree 1000% I think Nikon is shooting themselves in the foot as this camera is waaay overpriced for the available features even with the D4 sensor. The blowback will be severe. At least that’s my 2 cents worth. —- Nattering Nabob of Negativism and their over the top malarkey: “The blowback will be severe.”

OMG someone call Nikon, tell them to roll up the bridge over the moat !

Drama queen, yea we get it, you are not buying one. Well Mr. Over Dramatic, Nikon will sell out of this DSLR and will have a bad time keeping up with demand. Yea I’m a positive thinker, and really really appreciate Nikon for building the Df. I might not buy one soon but I’ll I will.

Yours truly Ernesto Quintero

Don B

A good article. Thank you.

I understand this camera needs to look retro, and i like the dials, but I’ll never buy a camera that doesn’t have a built in flash. The lack of built in flash is the main reason that I looked at ( and bought ) the high end Nikons rather than the high end Canons. I would have preferred a camera that had the dials, and a built in flash. It doesn’t need to look retro for me. It just needs to be functional for some spontaneous shooting.

Derek

To think, Nasim, that just a few days ago you were pronouncing Nikon’s demise on the day of the Sony A7 release and today you’re back on the Nikon bandwagon; behind the driver’s seat, no less!

In your own words, regarding Sony’s release of the A7/R:

“Think about what this will do to Nikon’s DSLR prices. Perhaps Nikon is counting on the loyalty of its existing customers? Well, if that was the case, perhaps it shouldn’t have let its D600 customers down by announcing the D610 instead of trying to fix the dust problem? Or perhaps it should have acknowledged the autofocus problems of the D800 and taken steps to remedy them? Nikon’s image has been badly tarnished during the last two years and it is not something that even the most loyal customers will easily forget for a while. I would like to see how Nikon can convince its fan base to upgrade to the D800E, when Sony offers comparable image quality at a whopping $1000 less.”

And here you are, a few DAYS LATER, pimping the DF; yet ANOTHER DSLR from….none other than….NIKON! You mean to tell me that this DF camera has changed your mind about Nikon? It’s mindblowing how you vacillate with every new product that comes out the door. Weren’t you cynical about Nikon’s QA shops? Yet, here you are diving full body into the DF pool, without even sticking a foot in the water, to see if it’s boiling or freezing.

“Perhaps Nikon is counting on the loyalty of its existing customers?” You think, Nasim?!

Here you are, ready to sell off your D700 and D7000(per your comment on top), yet, you’ve not shot a single frame with this DF camera.

It’s understandable that you make your $$$$ from your B&H and Adorama clicks on this blog, but bro, you need to be a little less obvious with the pimping. You need to keep some semblance of ojbectivity and not walk around like a snake oil salesman, promoting EVERYTHING that comes out on the market, just to drive your sales clicks. You might as well open a ‘B&H West’ brick and mortar shop and get it over with.

BTW, I do fully understand the differences between the sensor on the DF and that on the D800/A7. But, frankly, the difference is not drastic enough to warrant spending nearly $3k for this new model. Of course, when getting sales clicks is your principal objective, than ANY price will do!

David B

Derek, Nasim is just an enthusiastic guy who gets excited about all the new releases like most of us camera gear heads. Have you checked Steve Huff’s site? The guy pimps EVERY new camera released as the best thing since sliced bread and his reviews are not even in the same class as Nasim’s who actually does reviews, comparisons, and his samples are of professional quality. So he naturally gets excited about all the new gear, yesterday it was Fuji X, then it was Sony A, now a Nikon DF, Tomorrow, it will be something else, what did you expect?

Gerry C

Just my POV — I don’t see Nasim’s excitement about a new camera as “pimping” anything. Perhaps he’s excited about this relatively new announcement (which comes after Sony’s A7/A7s announcements).

Derek, if you do not like to read what is posted here, why come and leave your insulting comments?

1) I never pronounced Nikon’s demise when the A7 was announced – I said that the low-price strategy of Sony would affect Nikon’s sales. Please go back and re-read the article. You would be foolish to assume that Nikon could cease to exist just because someone else has something better. Canon and Nikon have been competing with each other for years and they are still here. Yet, I still strongly believe that Sony’s undercutting of prices will affect the full-frame market. So my opinion has not changed by a bit. 2) Yes, I have strongly criticized Nikon for their QA failures and the idiotic stance of Nikon as a company that does not want to acknowledge those failures. My strong opinions are clearly shown in many different articles, along with the D610 review, where I pointed out that the D610 is what the D600 was supposed to be at launch. 3) What is so wrong about being excited about a camera that I actually like? I heavily criticized the Nikon D600 and I own one. I numerously talked about the D800 and its AF problems and I own a D800E. Yes, these cameras have had their share of issues, but it does not mean that they are bad products overall. Did you actually have a chance to read my reviews? Despite all these shortcomings, did I stop recommending Nikon gear? Of course not! People come to this website, because we provide a lot of information on Nikon – good and bad. 4) I never said that I was selling my D700 and D7000. While I own a D700, I don’t even have a D7000 to sell. You should have paid attention to my comment. I said that I am planning to shoot with the Df + D800. 5) And who are you to accuse me of “pimping”? I praised Sony for being an innovative company, for being the first to release a full-frame mirrorless and pricing it right for the market. What is wrong with saying that? And what makes you think that I “promote EVERYTHING that comes out on the market”? When did you start reading this site? Two weeks ago when Sony released the new full-frame cameras? Let me see – you are a loyal Nikonian and you are pissed because I said bad things about the company. I praised someone else’s product and I criticized Nikon for a while, then praised Nikon again for doing something right. So what? I have been doing that for a number of years now. Nikon has had its shares of problems – you know that. And when it had problems, we discussed them. Am I supposed to sit quiet and think about my “good standing” with Nikon? No, I don’t care about what Nikon thinks of me. I tell the truth. I see something bad, I talk about it. I see something good, I talk about it. That’s MY opinion and MY view. And you are welcome to agree or disagree. But what makes you think that it is cool to come here and accuse me of link baiting? Do you have any idea what it takes to run this site? And yet, you have the balls to come here and leave your nasty comments?

I will never respond to any of your comments again. I tried to be civil with you and to have a friendly discussion, but as I can clearly see, it leads nowhere. Goodbye.

Clarence

Nasim,

Hope you are doing well! Spot on reply to Derek. This site does not need his rude comments. Looking forward to learn from you again at next year’s workshop.

Rick Thomas

Uhmmm…. This will be Nikons top selling camera.

Johny

Who the FUCK are you to come here and piss like it is your house? What a disrespectful douchebag you are Mr Derek. You are no other than a typical Internet troll. Those that we see repeatedly on other internet sites. If you have balls of a man, why don’t you show us who you are. A link to your beautiful 500px gallery with award winning photos would be a start. If you have nothing to show, STFU and leave this site. We have been coming here for good information, not to see idiots like you that ruin it for the rest of us.

Nasim, I am surprised that you took your time to respond to this guy. He is clearly not worth it.

David R

Johny,

I find your language in a forums such as this to be equally disrespectful.

Jason

David R,

Let’s be real here okay, there is a time and a place for most everything. Johny’s comment was fully warranted, without a doubt I believe this. Derek is a serious bag of douche for what he wrote. Respect and common courtesy are earned, there not rights by any means. Johny didn’t just spout off at the mouth for no reason. Derek is fully deserving of all of the less than pleasing comments he is getting. Derek couldn’t have been more ignorant or disrespectful if he tried. With all due respect to you, Derek didn’t get what he deserved yet, but Johny’s comment was a good start.

Chris

You are wrong Jason. Yes, Derek was very ignorant and disrespectful. Johny could have expressed this in many ways, but he chose to also be ignorant and disrespectful to the readers of a public forum. Many other people replied to Derek and made a different choice that was more appropriate.

Jason

Derek,

Are you serious Derek? This has to be a troll! This is the type of comment that makes me wish people like you didn’t exist on the Internet, but more importantly in the world of photography. I don’t know if you realize it or not, but in case you don’t here is a quick reminder. Quite “frankly” you sound like a serious douche bag, just a giant bag of douche. It’s really important you know what a big bag of douche you are for writing such an ignorant comment. No one gives a shit about what you have to say anyway.

Motti

Derek,

I also think you were out of line. I might not agree with a lot of what Nasim says but my complains are at the manufacturers and not Nasim. If he feels like pushing a camera or a lens, well, that’s his blog.

The only thing I can blame Nasim and the other contributes is a bit of over enthusiastic cheer-leading, something very common in our community. Saying that, heck, for all I care they can put Mohawk Black Feather Headdress and do the Rain Dance with the camera in the center, feed it dead birds and ask for better crop season.

It’s their blog!!!!!

And if you clicked on this blog to buy something, it’s no skin off your back, right?

ATP

I’ve made a size comparison with D800 and F3. It’s a little bit taller than F3 but a little bit narrower. I really love the look! I was expecting this to be around $2k, but since it’s higher than my expectation, I’ll wait for the review to see if it’s worth it…

I for one have had my eyes glued to the internet this past week with all the hype about this camera. After seeing the pictures of it today I was stunned. This is beautiful!

For the past few weeks my plan was to get a D610 and a Fuji X-E2, 2 different cameras, that don’t really overlap. Now, I’m not so sure. This might fill in for both. Will need to see how it feels weight-wise. The release of this camera makes me sad from the point of view that I may not need to get a Fuji X-E2!

I’ve been hoping that they would do something really different with this camera, especially that they touted the ‘hybrid’ nature. Are they now just referring to the retro style / DSLR nature of it, or could there be something else? Yes, the dial system really appeals to me, and so does the D4 sensor! If it so happens to have slightly faster AF than the D610, it would be awesome!

Ah well, eagerly await your tests and opinion when you get one!

Regards!

Timothy

Nasim,

I appreciate your website very much. Thank you.

Nikon’s stock has gone up in my book. I love my D700 and have not yet (until now – maybe) seen its replacement. Mechanical controls and a smaller retro body, with a D4 sensor, and without video. Yea! This might be it. I look forward to your review!

No camera manufacturer will please everyone, all of the time. This took guts.

Keep up the great work! (both Nikon & Photography Life)

http://pixelogist.me Heshan

Has this camera been officially announced already, or is it still based on leaks? I can’t figure it out, haha – googling it gives me a load of results but nothing seems official yet?

Having said that, it looks pretty cool. It’s definitely not for everybody – not with that design and control system. But having gone full retro, I wish they would’ve done a new retro-style lens, with a manual aperture ring

I wouldn’t say it’s overpriced though, it IS a full-frame DSLR compatible with all FX lenses, right? That’s not a bad price, considering the unique design etc.

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Heshan, it is official as of 12 AM Eastern Time in the US :)

http://pixelogist.me Heshan

Thanks! :) Yeah, I got a better look at it. I’m very much liking what I see, although it’s out of my personal budget for my own use!

Alexis

the new Df looks great, I think the choice of the D4 sensor is a great idea, it is the best sensor out there today. You can optimize a sensor for video or for stills but not both. That is why the D4 has such poor video quality compared to the D7100 and the D800. The D4 sensor is designed and optimized for still work, yes it costs more to make than the D600 or D800 sensors but quality costs.

For me I could not justify paying 6K for the D4 when the D3s is in my paws now. With this new steampunk D4 I will be all over it. My first Nikon was a F2, so all my old lenses are back. so what if it has only 39 focus points, my F2 had one! Manual focus really does not need a lot of points. I would rather just stay with the Cross sensors for focus.

Nasim, thanks for the great reporting job and staying up with the comments. Those that complain about the price just can’t afford it.

cheers, alexis

John C

First, this is not a D700 replacement. Many D700 users shoot sports and take advantage of the 8 fps. This is not a sports camera. As said, there will likely never be a D700 replacement to steal profits from the D4.

Second, price. If people don’t buy it, the price will come down, that is how it always works. That said, there is a lot more profit in this camera at its list price than there is on the D610 or D800. Yes, the D4 sensor is in it and it is a good sensor. No the D4 sensor does not cost Nikon more than the D800 or D610 sensor, it is actually a bit less. So I believe the price to be high compared to other offerings, and Nikon feels they can do this because of the novelty of the product. And maybe they can.

https://romanuipatinkafotografuoti.lt Romanas Naryškin

John,

I am unsure about the sensor price. I am pretty certain that less D4’s are being sold than D800, which would mean the sensor in D4 is somewhat more expensive. But, again, that is just an assumption.

As for Df being D700’s replacement, in some instances it is, in some it is not. As you said, Df is not a sports camera and those who use D700’s for sports photography will never replace it with Df. However, D700’s is not just a sports camera – it is also a no-nonsense photography-centric tool that doesn’t chase after top megapixels, but tries to deliver best results under any light. So, for those who use D700 for, say, weddings, travel, street, portrait, interior photography and so on, Df is quite a natural step forward.

John C

There are less D4 bodies sold, but the 36MP sensor is a higher cost even though the volume is somewhat higher. People are thus justified questioning the cost, but this is how things work if you provide a product with sufficient interest. How much profit does Leica make per body? How much does Apple make on a MacBook Pro? Nikon needs to do things like this for their future. They have not been leading.

Yes, it is a natural step forward for part of the D700 user base. The other part has no step forward other than a D4. The thing is I think Nikon could have really hit one out of the park and made even more profit. Remember the lead up to the D800 when all the talk was that it would cost 4K? Then it was announced at 3K. It was on back order for months. Not a bad problem to have if you are Nikon, the back order feeds the frenzy.

They have had a digital F type body on the drawing board for years. People have wanted a digital F type for years. Imagine if they had done this:

Update the D700 to a D710 after the D4 was out for a bit by only replacing the D700 sensor with the D3S sensor to make the whole D700 user group happier, but try to not steal from the D4.

Next, really develop the Df. Give it EXPEED 4. Give it split screen MF for all those legacy lenses the Df is being promoted for. Give it an aperture ring. Give it the 36 MP sensor, but allow the user to chose 36, 18, or 9 MP RAW images depending on the application. Include a special Galen edition 24mm f/2.8 instead of the 50mm 1.8 that we can already buy for $200. Price it at 4k.

At least this has deferred the D400 issue….

https://romanuipatinkafotografuoti.lt Romanas Naryškin

John,

oh, perhaps. But forgive me for saying, I am a little tired from all this debate. You’ve no idea how much I miss actual photography and not having to talk about the technical stuff. When did I get so drowned by it! I hope these announcements end soon.

David R

I would be in the pre-order queue for one of those at $4,000 even if it were only 4 fps :)

I would really love the Df feel but it wouldn’t do the things (sports) my D700 does as well as the D700, and it wouldn’t do the things (print very large landscapes) my D800 does as well as the D800, so I can’t justify it. I am sure it will be an appropriate tool for others, but my type of shooting is not optimized by an average speed camera with a 16MP sensor.

It’s tempting because it would be great to shoot but for me it would be better to spend the $$$$ on a couple nice lenses, like a PC-E.

Arash

I don’t believe Nikon is innovating here.. they use what they have in other cameras and make a new one, with different options. They are not trying to respond to the mirror-less market or compete with Sony, etc. They are responding to different kind of photographers. The ones that take time to take a picture. I used FM2 and F3 and other manual cameras starting with Canon TL-ql and I still believe that we would never have the FM2 experience with this camera if they are not able to offer a sustainable manual focusing screen. Without that, it is a glorified D600 with a D4 sensor and imitation of manual control or a mechanical machine…

https://romanuipatinkafotografuoti.lt Romanas Naryškin

Arash,

but the thing is, many users wanted such a camera. :) And there is no other DSLR with that sort of analogue approach to settings. So, in some way, you could call this kind of “back to roots” innovative. :)

Arash

You are right Romanas, they are giving to DSLR users what they asked for, or what Nikon think they would buy. Going Retro is their response to what they thin is their market. They targeted a particular group of photographers and produced this camera for them.

Photography used to be an affordable art. An FM2 used to cost less than 400$ and I know photographers who did all their exhibition using that simple and affordable camera. That was innovation: Any SLR camera was able to produce the same great result. It all depended on YOU and your technic. Today all SLRs from the same company do not have the same output. And some of those outputs cannot be saved by the photographer technical abilities. And this will produce very frustrating experience for users. I

ralittle2

Don’t many users want a D700 replacement?

Naveen

I believe that there is in fact a front command dial: that cogged circle next to the ‘Df’ logo. If that’s not a command dial, then I don’t know what it is. If it is, this might address your concern about adjusting shutter speed in the “1/3 step” mode.

https://romanuipatinkafotografuoti.lt Romanas Naryškin

Naveen,

it is. And there’s a second command dial at the rear of the camera just like on any other Nikon DSLR.

TheNeverKings

Hi Naveen. I was just thinking the same thing. Out of curiosity I picked up my XE1 (I have the grip fitted) and used my middle finger (rude finger as my kids call it!) to go through the motions of adjusting an imaginary wheel in a similar position as shown on the Df. It all felt very natural. Nikon cameras are known (in general) for their excellent ergonomics and I suspect that, in the hand, this camera will be no exception.

My main hope is that there is a useable “focus assist” that will make using my old Nikkors practical.

Cheers.

http://www.ScottMcGuirePhotography.com Scott McGuire

I like how it looks and the manual dials, but the price on this is way too much! I was holding off on buying a Sony A7 or A7r waiting for this camera, but no way Nikon. I realize this sensor has the capabilities of the D4 etc., but I really feel like Sony is heading off into a whole new realm of digital photography/camera bodies. Time to hop on the Sony Train!

John C

Hope everyone on the Sony train likes the balance of a 70-200 paired with that A7. Small bodies are nice for certain purposes provided you have small lenses to go with them. If you only use small primes it will not be so bad. Other than the wait to get them, but they are on the Sony road map.

Graham Blaikie

I am sure that those with a history with Nikon’s old film cameras will find the Df appealing. I certainly do. I only just recently sold my FE2 and manual lenses with it. I started out with the Nikkormat FT2, then FT3, EL, followed by an F2 Photomic and the FE2. I loved the F2 but for weddings I used the FE2 because of its 1/250th flash sync speed against the 1/80th of the F2. While the convenience of digital has obvious advantages I still miss the FE2 and some it that is the way it handled. I always had it in manual mode using the match-needle metering for on-the-fly exposure compensation – you could see exaectly how much under or over you were. You are the photographer. You made the decisions (as opposed to the camera doing it all). The Df will bring some of that back. I think the 16MP sensor from the D4 will be a perfect match. I have learned that sheer resolution doesn’t make a photo. Many of us have found that with 12 – 16 megapixel cameras, so the D4 sensor would be just fine.

It does appear though that they have used the same AF and shutter from the D610. I am a bit disappointed with that, especially considering the price. Many have criticised the D600 (and D610) for the DX AF system with the sensors concentrated in the middle of the screen. That is a deal breaker for me regarding the D610, but if used in ‘FE2 mode’ perhaps I could live with it in the Df. The flash sync of 1/200th is also slightly disappointing though of course it is only 1/3rd of a stop difference.

But, finances permitting, I would still be interested. Make mine a silver one.

http://www.DavidBlanchardPhotography.com David

But will my Nikon CF-28 carrying case (currently used on my Nikon FM) fit the new Nikon Df?

That would be fun!

David

Chris Zeller

Hi Nasim, Thanks for your thoughtful preview but I still don’t get why this is better in any way than the D800. I think your final comment is right on. The Nikon pro cameras are a highly evolved ergonomic wonder and the twin dials is the main discriminator for me vs any other system. Yes things like pop up flash and video, high resolution and high speed flash sync, or shutter speed make the camera more complex, but they are very handy in many situations. It remains to be seen if the af module will have the same limited area of the D600. For the same price as a D800 I think this is substantially less camera even from a build quality standpoint. I think this would be more successful as a FF mirrorless even smaller/lighter body at $1500. As it is, I’m quite pleased with my D600, it’s a nice balance between the speed and resolution of the D4 and D800. My only hopes for the next generation are wifi and Gps built in plus 1/8000 shutter speed + 1/250 sync and a -3 ev focus module.

Rami

I think a lot of people are getting the terms ‘expensive’ and ‘over-priced’ mixed up… You might say this camera is expensive (it certainly is not cheap!) but it’s not over-priced, the price is just right in my opinion. This is not meant to be a mass produced best seller, it’s a very specific product for a very niche market. Those who want to buy this camera will know that this is the camera they want and will appreciate that the price is what it is. And it most definitely is NOT an entry level full frame camera so it wouldn’t make any sense to price it as one!

http://stuartweber.co.za lacapino

Its a fashion statement. Nikon could and should have done better. Is it weather sealed? I d hope so … Why the almost two year old D4 sensor in the thing? WHy not the 24MP D610 sensor?? It s pretentious, from the campaign with the pseudo yuppie,walking around in a dream state to the actual buttons ….

I have a D700, will keep it for now, and rather shoot my F4 and F3 with film we live in the age of the Phoney

http://www.dose-of-salts.com Donz

for the price of this you could shoot film and scan it for the rest of your lifetime and still die with change in your pocket

Tom Crossan

I agree with you.

Nikon seem to be targeting “The Must Have the Latest Thingee” group out there.

More style than substance.

For the price I would rather get a sweet lens.

Keith

I think I will stick with my much loved retro looking OM-D and little lightweight primes for most photography needs and my old much loved D300s for my birding and macro photography. There is nothing in this ‘new’ old vintage style body with which has been installed with current (not new) Nikon hardware. Still waiting for the D300s replacement…..YAWN!

http://www.lclphotography.com LEONARDO

Hi Nasim

First thanks for the interesting information you always share, about the new Nikon Df no doubt looks beautiful but…I own a D800 and D700 and all the good lenses from Nikon, I am an airline pilot and photographer and usually in my flights I carry the D800 and 3 lenses, all of them heavy 14mm, 24-70, 70-200…the laptop, hardisk, etc…you know is a pretty heavy bag, and as in my trips I don’t know what I will find I like to cover most of the options, but I also I wanted something lighter for everyday, walk on the streets and portraits of my daughter, I tried a little bit of everything including Fuji, Olympus, Leica M9 and nothing was convincing for me until…I tried the Sony RX1R!

The RX1R is by far sharper and I could say better than D800 with a good lens!, so why I am not impressed about the Df if you ask me if I will sell the Sony to exchange to the Df ? the answer is NO, and the reason is that if I put a 70-200 or a 24-70 in front of the Df is going to be a big heavy camera not a big difference with the D800 plus any of those lenses, the weight of the lens is still a big factor!, D800 is lighter than D3/4 reason why I didn’t bought the D4 and I preferred to keep my D700 as backup and D800 as main camera and I am in love with the Sony, why Nikon doesn’t produces something like the RX1?? or a small 35mm lens f2 at least with an F mount but in a smaller size? as long as the lenses are big and heavy if the body is lighter the combination with the lens is still big and heavy….Nikon shows the 50mm 1.8 because is the smallest of the Nikon lenses but 50mm (which I own and love) is not the best overall lens if you only have one lens to carry with you, a 35mm is much better but of course is a big lens, small body and big lens combination makes a big camera!

The rest is about looks but change a D800 or 700 just for the looks and yes a great sensor but in all the rest an inferior camera?….Mmm…and there is another factor when you are working fast and using two cameras at the same time like D700/800 you want the cameras with same body and settings you don’t want to use one with a style and another with a total different style…just my thoughts.

Have a great day! Leo

Keith

I would imagine that all the forward looking camera companies are watching Sony very closely. It would appear that Nikon and Canon may not be forward looking camera makers. I agree with everything you have stated above, although I have no experience of Sony FF small bodied cameras, i certainly would not doubt their IQ quality.

Richard

So true, Leo!

Everyone I know wants some sort of “light kit” for just the reasons you describe.

Cheers

http://facebook.com/mikhailbezruchkophotography Mikhail

Love some of these comments here. If we were to construct a camera based on what people complain about, it MUST be:

For the modest price of $1695.99 because that just makes so much sense :)

All jokes aside, I do think Df (on paper) looks like a wonderful camera especially for portraiture & travel. The price is a bit high if you compare the features to similar gear, but who knows how much money they’ve spent on R&D and other ‘stuff’…

http://candidshotz.zenfolio.com/ LaJean Sigler

I shoot with a NIKON D-90, still. I have been looking to updated my camera to a NIKON D800 and now I see the NIKON Df is about to be released. I mostly specialize in PORTRAITS, GROUP and LANDSCAPE photography. Would this New Nikon Df be what I’m looking for instead of the Nikon D800?

Thank you, LaJean Digital Photography with “a Touch of Art”

Graham Blaikie

Frankly I think you would be better off with the D800. I also shoot with a D90 but either would be a huge step up from that. Group and landscape would benefit most from the D800 but the files are HUGE compared to the D90 files. I am holding off until I can upgrade my computer as well, which while it can handle the D90 files, it struggles with D800 files. The Df or the D610 would be a good compromise (all assuming you have some nice FX lenses to use with them).

Tom Crossan

Hi I moved through the Nikon range when I returned to photography a few years back. From the D60 to D300s and finally the D800.

I researched the D800 and found that I would need to get a faster computer, a better monitor, larger backup Hard Drives, and on and on. Also I found that I required better lens to get the best out of the D800, so more $$$$.

My D800 with a wide angle Carl Zeiss (plus a little bit of my skill) produces great landscapes, and much larger prints.

Motti

Honestly, get a D700 or a D3. You can get a D700 for less than $1,500 and a D3 for just around $2,000 both will do an amazing job with portraits (groups or individuals) and are a big step up from the D90. If you do have some more change to spare, look for a D3S. They are harder to find though and for a good reason, it’s an awesome camera.

If you do have the budget and your lenses are top of the line Nikon glass (and your computer is recent) than you want the D800. This is a true portrait camera. The files are huge but not like weddings, you will not typically shoot 3,000 shots when doing portraits (or maybe you do, I don’t know).

if you are working individual spend your hard earned money wisely. Forget the Df, it’s a marketing spin by Nikon. It’s for yuppies that will hang it around their neck with a retro leather case and strap wearing 50’s glasses.

Tom Crossan

Totally agree.

The Df will be a must have for a yuppie, and oh, don’t forget the leather elbow pads on the sports coats, and the carvets.

Motti

Oh ya, I forgot about those elbow pads :-). That would complete the look..

TinnyBo

This camera might be a hit, or it might not be. Thousands of people have been waiting for a D300 replacement though (the elusive and ethereal D400), so wouldn’t it have made more sense to produce a sure thing?

http://christianlee.ca Christian

I wanted SO badly for this to be a proper D700 replacement. Despite its looks (which I don’t particularly care-for), I really wanted something D800-sized, but without a gazillion megapixels. The fact that it doesn’t have dual cards really bums me out…as a wedding photographer, I’m too paranoid to go without that now. Looks like the D600/610 is still best “bang for your buck” around.

Carl TightShooster

for me the new cam is some mixup of existing components plus some Retro-Stlye

– 4D Sensor does not fit with the D600/D610 low budget styled focus points. – the cam feels overloaded with manual controls – the back of the cam does not fit to the rest of it Retro-Cams like fuji are much more balanced design. Wight and the Sensor is not everything – The D600 sensor already is a good one

1/4000 max SS, 1/200 max sync and not even the 24 MP but 16. Not to mention 39 focus points (51 on pro cameras) I am not sure how this is the D4 sensor.

And if it is, why not all the D4 ability? Because that’s how Nikon works :-(. I really think we should stop the cheer-leading and start looking at things from a more sensible point of view. I cannot see this as a good event camera.

The (relative) low megapixel count and the great ISO performance makes it look like the Df would be a great camera for wedding and events photographers. But won’t the fact that it has only one SD slot be a huge deal breaker for that customer base?

Before I came to digital photography the film cameras that I had were of bridge camera quality and not even close to the area of an SLR. Judging from the buzz on the net opinions seem to devided on wether the dials on the Df would be clunky and cumbersome or elegant and intuitive. Has anybody here shot with an FM2 or similiar camera and has experience with this kind of layout? If so, would you share your thoughts?

Indraneel

Exciting and cool looking product. However, I think Nikon could have done this in two versions, one without the AA filter.

Scott

You’re right about everything, except black is what you want, not silver…

https://photographylife.com Nasim Mansurov

Scott, come on, silver is more sexy! :)

http://www.pbase.com/MurrayBowles Murray Bowles

My SRT-101 and FE2 were both silver, but with the Df I like the look of black better. I’ve been wanting low-light capability for a long time (I shoot a D300 now), and while I would prefer the D4 sensor in a D700 body, the Df looks pretty good.

http://www.zacvanlab.com Zac

I can’t wait to have it in my hands aaaaaaaaa!

Sean

Hi Nasim

Thanks for your site and a really great article. I have read all the various comments with interest and have learned a lot. I would best be described as an “enthusiast” photographer and enjoy taking photos of friends, family and travels. I started in the film days and have collected a number of film cameras over the years (when I lived in London and could afford them). I have have an FM3a, F5 and F80 along with a D90 and a 35mm f2 D, 50mm f1.4 D and 85 f1.8 D. The camera that makes me feel most like a photographer is undoubtedly the FM3a, I love its tactile feeling and how one has to interact with the camera. The F5 (the Beast as I call it) is great too and the shutter sound is so re-assuring.

The D90 have just never gelled with. I use it but I don’t love it. My biggest gripe is that it’s an APS-C sensor and so my primes are not the focal length they were intended for. What I have been waiting for is FF camera that is tactile that doesn’t cost a bomb. (Now that I’m back in South Africa I struggle to afford a camera that cost over USD 2,000 (ZAR 20,000).) What I really wanted to see was something along the lines of an FM3a with a decent sensor in it retailing for around $1,500. Or a non-retro FF camera for around the same price. Something with too many bells and whistles, and a decent FF sensor.

What I have come to realise is that camera manufacturers are not in the business of providing customers with what they want, they are in the business of making money. Everyone wants a D400 or D710/D700s but they would not bring as much profits as the D600/D800/D4, at least for now. I would really like a Df, but I cannot justify the expense (especially in South African rands). So for now, I will continue to use my film bodies and if I get the opportunity to buy a D700 in good condition at a reasonable price I wll get it. All I want is a FF camera that I can use my primes with at a reasonable price ($1,500), but for now, it doesn’t seem as though Nikon is keen to deliver!

Peakng Duck

1) Unless you have pushed the shutter on the Df, your opinions are just SPEC-ulation. 2)Not everyone will be satisfied, no matter what. 3)Three THOUSAND dollars is a lot of money

Nasim presented to you the camera,whether you like it or not i’ts up to you,If you don’t like don’t buy it,If you like it then buy one,regardless of the features or the price,as for me I like it,I will buy it…

http://www.alanspink.com Alan Spink

This camera certainly has got people taking, (maybe that was Nikon’s plan?) Is it too expensive? Well yes, I’d like to have seen the them use the D610 sensor, and the price could have been around half, then I’m sure it would have sold like hot cakes. So have Nikon got it wrong, well only time will tell, If it succeeds, then I’m sure we will see other versions appear, one even smaller,lighter and simpler and others with an even higher spec? I think the idea to go back to dials and away from menu driven controls is a good one, camera’s have got way too big heavy complicated and expensive, time to get back to what real photography is about, the images, not the gear used.

Nice website by the way, keep up the good work.

Regards

Alan

http://www.cargocollective.com/albertbrian albert brian

I have read a lot of people who are talking a lot about features and options missing and using that to justify the price. I can’t say that I agree with any of them. I also read a lot of reviews saying that the camera might not be made for a pro? and that other opt not to use a fuji x100s because it doesn’t seem “pro” enough for the client.

1) if you talk price point vs what you actually get, is any camera really worth it? 3k today and then $600 tomorrow. I have been shooting film since 1989. I made the switch to digital in 2005. I have shot nikon and canon, leica, fuji and hasselblad in both film and digtial formats. I never cared what a client would think when I walked through the door. If you can do the job, then who cares what you walk in with. What they think should never matter, what you produce should.

2) This Nikon is amazing. I have waited since 2005 for a full frme digital nikon much like my old nikon F2, Fe2. something that I can relate to coming from film. On my old film camera, I had a shutter knob, i manually focused and I manually set aperture. i set my asa according to my film and then I went to town on whatever I shot. what other features do you need to produce a photo? everything is just extra crap you really dont need, its nice to have but when you get down to it, you can do without. personally, I would have been happier with less buttons. I paid $8k for my leica m9p after taxes and the “features” and “options” no where near the nikon df. if you dont understand why a photographer would prefer a leica M9 or a nikon DF or a Fuji X100s over everything else then I think I would place you in the “digital mind” category.

3) who is this camera really for? Its for the photographer. what type of photographer? the one that take photographs with a bit more meaning and intention. that may offend a few people and cause ppl to go on the defensive but its true. It will be able to deliver at weddings or events if thats your thing… its even better for street photography, artistic photography, journalism and portraits. This will be a camera to divide the boys for the men. its for a more mature audience, a more refined audience and a forgotten audience. for the d4, d800, d700, d3, d3’s d3x crowd, you have your toys with full features and options. Nikon hasn’t let you down in that department. Its good to see that Nikon still remembers their roots. These few years have been a revival of the classic camera. Don’t hate these trends or movements, embrace it. It fathered the art you know today. Don’t be offended by my words, people will always have their preference. rolleiflex, mamiya, hasselblad, pentax, contax, nikon, fuji, canon, leica,… glock, smith & wesson, colt, ….honda, ford, ferrari,….ikea, crate & barrel, restoration hardware, … basic calculator, scientific calculator… jansport, eastpack,.. horses, cars, feet…. walking, jogging, running, sex, celibacy.

4) its just a camera… get it if you like it, bypass if you dont.

5) i would love it more if had just a bit less. I know canon will probably digitize the AE-1 soon.

Salim Abdulla

Hi Nasim,,

Thank you Nasim.. some of your words are exactly what i had in mind.. although i wished the price would be in the 2200-2500 range.

Now i have a D700, which was a dream fullfilled. i absolutely love it . i have reached around 65,000 shutter actuations. Like many many guys out there dissapointed with Nikon for not bringing a D700s or D700x with a 16 or 20 mgpx camera i had no choice but to buy a used one, a year ago which at that time stood at 35,000 actuations.

Now my questions are :

1- How long would my camera keep with sensor before it dies ( i had a D70s which lasted upto 60,000 before they said that my sensor needed changed which was too expensive for me)

2- I was / am looking for a second body but i opted out of buying the D800 and D600. However i love the DX D7100.Should i go for the D7100 for long reach or should i choose between the D610 or Df? I luv the low weight of Df . I do not like the closely arranged focus point of D600.

3-Should i go for a D700 with another full frame as a backup or D700 with a D7100 as option.

Thank you Nasim.. Its been an inspiration to read your reviews.Love it . Hope to hear detailed reviews about the Df(luv the silver color ;)

Gene Piatigorski

If there are those who feel passionate about providing feedback to Nikon regarding the Df, here is a link to the company questionnaire that provides that opportunity:

My own two cents is that the way Nikon handled the D600 fiasco, I am not sure that as expensive as this camera is, that I would trust the company’s ANY new offerings. I buy a camera for a long-term relationship. The quality issues of the D600 indicate to me that the company has some serious flaws in their engineering and/or manufacturing processes. They also have some serious flaws in handling a crisis like the D600 to maintain the loyalty of the customer base.

I know that Nasim had commented on the flaws of the D600. I also know that he had commented on the lack of presence of the issue on the D610. However his discovery of the D610 lack of the issue does not hold up to the requirements of statistical analysis to be accurate. The sample size in Nasim’s analysis is too small to produce any legitimate conclusions.

I have no doubt that Nikon knows the real issue with the D600 and that the D610 was engineered to eliminate it. What I can not conclusively arrive at is Nikon’s ability to remediate the issue due to their engineering and/or manufacturing flaws illuminated by the D600 debacle. In essence, Nikon has lost my trust in their capability for the near-term, until I see in the market place that they truly did address the issue I will not be buying another Nikon product of ANY kind. Nikon needs to restore my trust before I do that – no matter how cool the retro features of the Df are.

http://www.rikpenningtonphotography.com Rik Pennington

Hi Nasim

Are you comfortable shooting weddings with 1 SD card?

Tom Crossan

Look – I think this thread has gone on long enough.

There are camps out there with different views, with “experts” in each camp, so why don’t we agree to disagree and let the market sort it out, as we do with every other product.

No one is being forced to buy this or any other camera.

http://www.brentpearcy.com brent

There is front dial to change exposure, its located next to the DF logo. One of the videos briefly show the user adjusting exposure with it. BTW in my opinion I still think the DF is priced to high. The D800 is a superior camera to the D4 up to 6400, beyond that the D4 is better. No video on top of that (which I don’t care either way about) limited shutter and sync speeds. It should be priced around $1799 to $1999. When choosing between the D800 and Df at the same price I believe the majority will go with the D800. Personally I love the look and no nonsense thumb controls of the Df and the fact that its geared for still pictures is always great to but the price……….D800 wins. But the Df has the cool/retro factor for sure.

Tom Crossan

As a matter of interest the camera is supposed to be on sale here in Australia in the end of November at A$3199.00 for body only and A$3499.00 with a 50mm f1.8 lens.

I am not going to talk on price etc as it is up to each and every photographer to pick his own trade tools.